Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is a French-American-Canadian comic science fiction cartoon series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, dim-witted detective named Inspector Gadget—a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's nemesis is Dr. Claw, the leader of an evil organization known as "M.A.D." The series launched the Inspector Gadget franchise. This is the first syndicated cartoon show from DIC Entertainment, as well as the first from the company to be created specifically for North American viewers, along with The Littles. It originally ran from 1983 to 1986 and remained in syndication into the late 1990s (with a brief presence on CBS's cartoon lineup for the 1991–1992 season). It was also shown on ABC in Australia from 26 July 1984 to 8 February 1991. Created by Andy Heyward, Bruno Bianchi, and DiC's founder Jean Chalopin, the series was a co-production between DiC Entertainment (at the time named DiC Enterprises) and the Canadian studio Nelvana, which DiC outsourced the pre-production to. The animation work was outsourced to Asian studios Tokyo Movie Shinsha in Japan and Cuckoo's Nest Studio in Taiwan. It was the first animated television series to be presented in stereo sound. Inspector Gadget is a famous cyborg police inspector with a seemingly endless amount of gadgets he can summon by saying "Go-Go-Gadget" then the gadget's name. Although he has all this equipment, Gadget is ultimately incompetent and clueless (in a manner similar to Maxwell Smart of "Get Smart" – who was also played by Don Adams – and the Inspector Clouseau character of the Pink Panther series, including his attire looking similar to Clouseau), and overcomes obstacles and survives perilous situations and malfunctioning gadgets often by sheer good luck. His niece, Penny, and intelligent dog, Brain, secretly help him solve each case. His nemesis is Dr. Claw, the head of the criminal organization M.A.D. Frequently, Penny herself lands in trouble with M.A.D. agents – who often truss her up and leave her in a death trap or similar perilous situation (a nod to The Man From U.N.C.L.E.). She occasionally extricates herself at the last possible moment, but more often she is forced to call Brain, who rescues her in the nick of time. With the help of Penny and Brain, Gadget inadvertently saves the day, Dr. Claw escapes, and Chief Quimby arrives to congratulate Gadget on a job well done. Each episode ends (as many cartoons did in the 1980s) with Gadget (and usually Penny and Brain also) giving a public service announcement – in direct contrast with his dangerous job and risk-taking behavior in the show, with most of the tips having a connection with problems Gadget had experienced during the episode. For example, in one episode, Gadget tries to hitchhike saying he hopes the approaching motorist doesn't mind him doing so, with the ending PSA making very clear how dangerous hitchhiking can be. In another, Gadget and Penny use the story of the Trojan Horse to relate the danger of dealing with strangers. And another where Gadget is drugged during an auto race and end the episode with a tip about the danger of drinking and driving. Cast Category:DiC Entertainment Category:Cartoons